The present invention relates to a washer nozzle device that injects cleaning liquid to a washed surface such as a windshield of automobiles.
Typically, vehicles include washer nozzle devices located near the windshield. The washer nozzle device sprays cleaning liquid on the windshield for wiping by the wiper blades. Typically, the washer nozzle device includes a body and a nozzle. The body is attached to the hood of a vehicle, and the nozzle is fitted in a recess of the body. A liquid passage is formed in the body, and an injection passage is formed in the nozzle. The nozzle is installed in the body such that the injection passage is connected to the liquid passage. A typical nozzle has only one injection port. When the number of the injection ports is one, injected cleaning liquid lands on one point of the windshield. Therefore, cleaning liquid is not delivered to a wide area of the glass surface, which reduces the efficiency of cleaning the glass.
To solve the above problem, a multiple-point-injection washer nozzle device has been proposed. As shown in FIG. 14, three nozzles 51 are fitted in three sockets 52a of the body 52.
However, in the washer nozzle device of FIG. 14, it is troublesome to install the plurality of nozzles 51 in the body 52 and to adjust the injection direction of each nozzle 51. Also, the plurality of sockets 52a increase the size of the body 52.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 58-183255, No. 1-109471, and No. 55-159753 describe multiple-point-injection washer nozzle devices in which one nozzle having a plurality of injection ports is installed in a body.
For example, as shown in FIG. 15A, the washer nozzle device of Publication No. 58-183255 includes a body 61 and a nozzle 62, which is fitted in the body 61. As shown in FIG. 15B, the nozzle 62 includes three radial holes 63, which enable multiple-streams. The upper and lower surfaces of the nozzle 62 are cylindrical, which permits the nozzle 62 to pivot, and the injection direction can be adjusted vertically. The nozzle is formed by coupling an upper part 62a and a lower part 62b. 
However, the nozzle 62 can be adjusted only vertically, and the injection direction of the streams cannot be adjusted three-dimensionally. Also, the nozzle 62 is formed by two parts 62a, 62b, which increases the number of assembly steps.
The step of coupling two parts can be omitted by drilling the nozzle holes in a single nozzle. However, this necessitates the drilling step, and the number of manufacturing steps is not reduced. It is also possible to form the nozzle holes by molding the nozzle. However, since the nozzle holes 71a are shaped as shown in FIG. 16, slide molds 72 are necessary to form the nozzle holes 71a. The slide molds 72 have to be moved diagonally relative to the other mold parts. Therefore, the molding apparatus is complicated, which reduces the manufacturing efficiency and increases the manufacturing costs.
A first objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple-stream washer nozzle device in which a nozzle is easily molded.
A second objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple-stream washer nozzle device in which a nozzle is easily installed in a body and the injection direction is easily adjusted.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple-stream washer nozzle device in which the injection direction can be three-dimensionally adjusted.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a washer nozzle device for a vehicle comprising:
a body including a fluid path and a generally spherical socket, wherein the body is attachable to the vehicle; and
an adjustable nozzle including a flow passage and a generally spherical portion for engaging the socket, wherein a downstream end of the flow passage is located at an injection port, wherein the nozzle is attached to the body such that the flow passage communicates with the fluid path, wherein the nozzle includes a partition member located in the flow passage to divide a flow of fluid into a plurality of streams.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.